New names could be on the senior trophies when the Sussex Cross Country Championships are held in Brighton's Stanmer Park on Saturday.

Reigning senior men's champion Stephen Rees-Jones (Brighton and Hove) misses the event as he is in the Far East while former winner Gavin Thompson (Crawley) is back in America at university so last year's bronze medallist Andrew Robinson (Horsham) is hot favourite to claim the title.

Robinson is better known as one of the country's top steeplechasers and the reigning Sussex half-marathon champion.

Robinson has missed this season's County League races so has not clashed with in-form Hailsham runner Ben Warren, who poses a real threat.

Crawley's Kevin Holland cannot be ruled out, however, as this season he has been fulfilling the promise shown as a British junior international a few years ago.

In the team event, reigning champions Crawley, unbeaten in the league so far, are favourites to retain the silver statue of Mercury for another year.

In the women's event, Brighton and Hove's Julia Downes is expected to take the honours having dominated the league programme.

Reigning champion Caroline Hoyte (Arena 80) and Worthing's Rachael Ogden are expected to make late decisions on whether they will run. If they both fail to race, Downes will have a much easier task ahead of her.

The last time the trio clashed Hoyte finished ahead of Ogden and Downes. The Phoenix club's Emma Satterley, who won the event the last time it was held in Stanmer Park, could pose Downes a threat.

In the team event, if Hoyte races, Arena 80 should retain the title. The first race starts at 11.30am.